Window shading device



All@ 20, 1957 J. H. scHLEslNGER 2,803,298

WINDOW SHADING DEVICE INVENTOR. 46 Josep/7 H. Sdi/@5m en -44 B J. H.SCHLESINGER WINDOW SHADING DEVICE y Aug. 20, 1957 3 sheets-sheet 2 FiledNOV. 16, 1953 Aug 20, 1957 J. H. scHLr-:slNGER v 2,803,298

WINDOW SHADING DEVICE Filed Nov. 16. 1953 3 SheeQts-Sheet 5 FlawINVENTOR. d A H. 5 H rse/ c c25/nger United States Patent O WINDOWSHADING DEVICE Joseph H. Schlesinger, New York, N. Y. ApplicationNovember 16, 1953, Serial No. 392,075 22 Claims. (Cl. 160-349) Thepresent invention relates to a device for regulating the amount of lightand/ or air passing through a window, of the general shade-like typeconsisting of fabric that is secured to a spring roller mounted at thewindow opening.

'Ihis application is a continuation in part of my pending application,Serial No. 249,155, filed October 1, 1951, entitled Window ShadingDevice now abandoned.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an article of thecharacter described which, in addition to vertical adjustment, bywinding on the spring roller, may also be laterally adjusted for lightand air admission.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide a shade-likedevice of the character described which may be laterally adjusted forregulating light and air admission by means carried on the deviceitself, without recourse to support from any external structure, such aswindow frame or adjacent wall.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a shade-likedevice of the character described which will hangin straight andgraceful lines when laterally adjusted for light and air admission aswell as when in fully extended position, to thereby provide, optionally,decorative, drape-like window trimming.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a windowshading device of the character described having novel means associatedwith its spring roller for equalizing and compensating for any variationin the thickness of certain portions of the fabric of the device that isrolled thereon.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a windowshading device of the character described having portions that may bevaried in design and shape and are interchangeable with and replaceableby one another, to permit great latitude in design variation of thecompleted article and in its draped arrangement.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide windowshading devices of the character described which are easy and convenientto use and which are of enhanced appearance and decorative in effect.

The foregoing and other advantages and superiorities of the windowshading devices of the invention will become more readily apparent tothose skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings and from the description following. It is to beunderstood, however, that such embodiments are shown by Way ofillustration only, to make the principles and practice of the inventionmore readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting theinvention to the specific details therein shown.

Generally stated, the invention consists in the provision of windowshading or similar devices formed of a plurality of longitudinallydisposed, elongated fabric sections or panels secured in extended stateby one end to a spring roller, or to other supporting means, with theseveral sections or panels carrying, preferably in a seam formedthereon, common or individual means along which or by which the sectionfabric may be guided and gathered o r shirred and on or by which thesection fabric iCE may be retained in gathered or shirred position, infree' suspension from the roller, in draped arrangement and in smoothilowing lines, without distortion along any part thereof. The severalpanels or sections are also provided with means which may comprise thecommon curved spreader means, or other means, by which the severalpanels may be integrated for complete light eX- clusion and windowshading and for unitary movement vertically on and olf the roller.

The invention consists further in means, in the form of tube sectionsthat may be secured over the spring roller in spaced relation to oneanother, to provide sections of diierent thicknesses on the roller foraccommodating any variation in the thickness of the shade, as where thepanels may overlap or where seams, pleats or decorations are provided onthem, to form a roll of uniform diameter on the spring roller.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of one embodiment of a windowshading device of the present invention, shown as supported before awindow and in fully drawn, Window obscuring position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device of Fig. 1, shown with its panelsdraped for light admission;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, partly sectional view along the spring rollerof the shading device;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of one form of panel spreading or shapingelement of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a modified form of panel spreading orshaping element;

Fig. 7 isa section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the junction of the extremelower portion of two overlapping panels, showing one way of interlittingthem;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a modied embodiment of the window shadingdevice of the present invention, showing modified means for spreading,shaping and holding the panels in draped, light-admitting position;

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary elevational view of the bottom portion of theshading device illustrated in Fig. 9, with the two shade panels inextended juxtaposed position.

Fig. ll is an elevational view of the panel spreading, shaping andretaining means shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. l2 is a section taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of still another embodiment of a windowshading device of the present invention, shown as drawn, with the panelsspread apart and draped for light admission at about the center of thedrawn shade; l

Fig. 14 is a front elevation of a further modified embodiment of awindow shading device of the present invention, shown as having morethan two panels, fully drawn into light obscuring position;

Fig. l5 is la view similar to that of Fig. 14, with the several panelsspread and draped for light admission in still another manner;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary front elevation of a modified form of thewindow shading device of Fig. 14;

Fig. 17 is a section taken on line 17-17 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an elevational view of a panel shirring and draping andretaining element of Figs. 14-17, inclusive; and

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary elevation showing a shading device with panelshaving individual draping means so supported and arranged as to permitthe undraped edge portion of the panel to hang in a straight line.

Referring in greater detail to the accompanying drawings, and withparticular reference to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. land 2 thereof, the shading device comprises a spring roller, 20, whichmay be of the conventional window-shade roller type, capable of beingconventionally supported in place and of being operated in theconventional manner for rolling and unrolling when supported on or at awindow frame, as 21. A pair of light screening sections or panels, 22and 23, which may be formed of any suitable material that is pliableenough to be shirred for draping purposes, such as a suitable textilefabric or plastic sheet material, are secured in fully extendedposition, by their upper ends, to the spring roller 20, by any desiredconventional means. The panels 22 and 23 are secured in place upon theroller 21 preferably in a manner to leave no gap between their adjacentedges when in drawn position, preferably by providing an overlap ofsuitable width of their contiguous edges, as at 24. They may, however,if desired be secured with their facing edges spaced from one another.The panels 22 and 23 may have woven-finish longitudinal edges or mayhave one or both of longitudinal edges reinforced by a seam, such as theseams 25 and 2.6 on their outer edges.

The window shading device may be provided with means that may be formedof any suitable material that may serve a multiple purpose. Such meansmay serve the purpose of holding the panels together in extended, lightexcluding position and in intergrated arrangement for the purpose ofmoving on and off the roller 20, in tensed state and as a unit. Suchmeans may also serve the purpose of spreading the contiguous portions ofthe panels 22 and 23 apart for light admission as well as to retain themin spread apart position. Such means may serve the further purpose ofguiding the panels into spread apart position and shaping and drapingthem in a manner that the portions thereof which are moved away from thevertical during the draping as well as those remaining in the verticalwill all hang in smooth lines downwardly from the spring roller 20,without distortion as a result of any foreshortening of any part thereofas a result of the sideways spreading thereof.

Such mutiple purpose means may comprise relatively dat, wide, tubularseams or transversely formed housings 28 and 29, at the bottom or anydesirable portion of each of panels 22 and 23, respectively, in which isheld a spreader guide, generally designated as 30, shown in detail inFig. of the drawings, which is formed of two relatively symmetricalhalves, 31 and 32, one of which is disposed in each of the same 2S and29.

The spreader guide 30 may be made of wood, metal, synthetic plastic orother suitable material for the multiple purposes for which the spreaderguide is intended, and may be in the form of a bar, rod or wire, as maybe desired. The spreader guide 30 performs its multiple f andcooperating functions described above with respect to the positioningand draping of portions of the panels 22 and 23 because of theparticular shape and structure in which it is formed.

Such spreader guide 30 is formed with an underside I or bottom edgewhich curves gradually upwardly in an outward direction to a point shortof its ends, to a high point or apex 33, on each of its halves 31 and32, from which high point the end portions, 34 and 35, curve moreabruptly downwardly.

It will be apparent that the upwardly curving portion of each of thespreader guide halves 3i and 32 permits the inner portion of the panel,either 22 or 23, in the seam of which it is carried or supported, to bemoved along thereon in an outward direction and smoothly guided in suchdirection, to be shirred and draped thereon and thereby form a lightadmitting space at the center of the shadowing device, until the shirredfabric reaches the high point 33. This can be accomplished withoutlifting the spreader guide, because of the shape of the spreader guidehalf, without disturbing the portion of the panel directly above the endportions, as 34 or 35, which curve downwardly, and while retaining theshirred or draped portion in smooth, diagonally downwardly owing linesthat are not distorted by the foreshortening of any part of the drapedor undraped portion of the panel by the foreshortening of the drapedportions due to their movement away from the vertical during thedraping.

It may here be stated that the curvature of the inner portions of thespreader halves 31 and 32 may, for generally best results, follow an arcdrawn on a radius the length of the distance between the roller 20 andthe bottoms of the seams 28 and 29 when the shading device is drawn orof approximately the height of the window with which the shading deviceis intended to be used.

Each of the spreader guide halves 31 and 32 may be provided on thebottom of its upwardly curving portion, at a suitable distance from itsinner end, with a downwardly and inwardly directed projection, 36, whichcreates a claw-like area at the bottom of the spreader guide half inwhich the shirred portion of the panel may be gathered and which forms astop adapted to engage against the inner edge of the panel disposed insuch clawiike area to retain the panel bottom in shirred and drapedstate and prevent its inadvertent straightening out. If desired, morethan one such projection 36 may be provided on each spreader guide half,for adjustment and retention of the panel bottom for greater or lesserlight admission.

It will be clear that when it is desired to use the shading device tocompletely keep out the light, in the manner of a conventional windowshade, the panels 22 and 23 are disengaged from the stopper projection36 and moved toward one another alone the spreader guide until theyoverlap, as shown in Fig. 1. To permit overlap between the seams 28 and29, one of the seams, as 29, which is formed on the outermost of theoverlapping panels, is terminated short of the inner edge of the panel23 on which it is formed, so that the edge portion of the seam 2S mayfit and nest within the unfinished part of the seam 29. The two panels22 and 23 thus form a unitary shading sheet which is smooth and even andmay be rolled on and off the roller 20 as a unit, in a manner readilyunderstood.

Means may be provided to hold the panels together and in extendedposition and to prevent their diverging or converging while being drawnup on the roller to thereby become creased and create an uneven roll onthe roller. Such means may be provided on the panels 22, and 23, proper,in the form of one or more sets of cooperating fastener elements, suchas snap fasteners, 38, provided on the portions of the panels formingthe overlap 24. Means for the same purpose may also be provided,additionally if desired, on the spreader guide 30, which may take theform of one or more projections or pins, as the projections 3 9,extending preferably from a side face of the spreader member 30, overwhich suitably arranged openings, 40, in the panels may t, to keep thepanels from moving from side to side and to maintain them in flat aswell as tensed position.

Since the portions of the'double or greater thickness on the panels 22and 23, as where overlaps like 24 occur or where seams as 25 and 26 arepresent, or where ornamental layers of fabric may be secured thereon,will, when the panels are rolled up on the conventional spring roller ofuniform diameter, create on such roller areas of increasing thickness orbulk as the rolling up proceeds and will result in the distortion of theflat material of which the panels are formed, I provide means on theSpring roller to remedy such condition. I thus provide or create on aconventional spring roller which is of generally uniform diameter,sections having greater and lesser diameter, with the sections of lesserdiameter on the roller disposed in position to receive thereon thethicker portions of the panels 22 and 23. The variations in springroller diameter thickness is effected through the means of sections oftubular sleeves, 41 which may be fitted on and secured to the roller 20,in spaced apart relation to one another and from the ends of the roller,before the panels 22 and 23 are secured thereon; the spacingbeingarranged in accordance with the requirements in individual cases, withthe parts or spaces between the sleeves 41 or the parts left uncoveredon the roller forming the spaces for accommodating the thickened panelportions.

It may here be stated that other means for compensating for theforeshortening of parts of the panels during their being spread apartfor light admission may be provided. Such other compensating means mayconsist of spreader guide members of diierent designs, such as thespreader guide, 42, shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing,

in which the underside is curved similarly to the guide member 30, butwhich is provided on its underside with suitably deep, preferablyregular corrugations into which the rings of the panels 22 and 23 maytit and be retained.

The foreshortening compensating means may also take the form ofdifferent interengagement between the panels and the integratingspreader member. One such dilferent arrangement of interengaging meansis illustrated in Figs. 9 and 1l of the drawings, wherein the spreaderguide member is a bar or rod 43, having its underside formed with deeplyseated and spaced curves or corrugations, 43, which is engaged andsupported on the panels by rings, 44, secured in approximatelytransverse rows adjacent to the bottom of each of the panels in anupwardly curved line of required curvature. It will be clear that whenthe two panels, 45 and 46 are drawn, the rod or spreader guide will besupported on the higher end rings 44 on each of the panels, theinnermost of the rings hanging loosely in place, and that when thepanels 45 and 46 are draped or spread apart, the inner rings will beelevated towards the level of the end rings and will be held in thecorrugations of the spreader guide in adjusted draped position.

It may here be pointed out that the rings 44 may be attached in astraight horizontal line, if desired, and used in association with aspreader member such as 42, shown in Fig.' 6 of the drawings, thecorrugations on the underside thereof receiving and holding the rings inthe shirred and draped position of the panels.

Another form of association between the panels and the spreader guidemembers is illustrated in Fig. 13 of the drawing, wherein the panels, 48and 49, have their spreader guide receiving seams, 50 and 51respectively, intermediate, their ends at a distance from instead ofadjacent their bottom. The spreader guide, 56, insuch embodiment issimilar to the spreader guide 30 and operated in a similar manner, but,because of its position, :it provides increased spread between thepanels, 48 and 49, for admission 'of more light, and the panel bottomshave a graceful drop below their seams 50 and 51.

In Figs. 14-16 there are illustrated additional possible embodiments ofthe present invention which represent modications of the window shadingdevice of the invent tion in several respects, but, nevertheless,according to a common principle. Thus, they show shading devices, formedof more than two panels, such as the three panels for wider window 52,53 and 54, which are supported from a spring roller, 20 with overlaps,56 and 57 formed between each pair of contiguous panels.

The embodiments of Figs. 14l6 are further modified in that the gatheringand shaping functions are performed by separate structural suitableelements or members. Thus, each panel 52, 53, and 54 is provided at adistance from its bottom with a tubular seam or housing, 58, 59 and 60respectively, which may be formed by a section of fabric stitched orotherwise secured to the respective panel, with the seam section sewn onthe central panel being preferably terminated short of the edges of thepanel, to permit an overlap of such panel with its two adjacent panels.Within each of the seams 58, 59 and 60 is disposed a shirring element 61which is of a length less than the width of the panel within which it issupported and is formed with hooked ends 62. Each rod,

61 may be secured in position within the receiving seam in any desiredmanner and may repose therein, without functioning in any manner whenthe panels are drawn for light-exclusion. When it is desired to drapethe panels, 52, 53 and 54, for light admission, which may be selectivelydone with one or more of the panels, each such panel is shirred over therod 61 and its longitudinal edges caught in the hooks 62, to retain itin shirred position.

The spreading or shaping of the bottoms of panels 52, 53, and 54 iseffected by means carried in flat tubular seams, 63 64 and 65,respectively, formed on the bottom portion of each of said panels. Suchspreading means may be of general overall shape similar to that of thespreader guide 30 of Fig. 5 and may be of unitary structure, as themember 30, or may be segmented, as in Figs. 14 and 15, with the centralsection, 66 disposed in the seam 64 of the panel 53 and its symmetricalend sections 67, disposed in the seams 63 and 65 of panels 52 and 54. ltmay here be stated that for decorative and ornamental design purposes,the bottom edge of each of the panels 52, 53 and 54 and the seams 63, 64and 65, may be shaped and formed in conformity to the shape of theshaping member segment desired to be associated therewith, asillustrated in Figs. 14 and l5.

The panels 52, 53 and 54, when formed with the individual spreadermember segments may have means for their integration into a unit, as formovement simultaneously and uniformiy on and off the spring roller suchas the two bars or rods, 69, slidably disposed in the bottom seam of anyone or two of the panels 52, 53 and 54, from which each of rods 69 maybe moved partly into the seam of an adjacent panel, as shown in Fig. 13,and to integrate such two adjacent panels; both bars thus uniting allthree panels for simultaneous movement.

Fig. 16 represents a further modiiication of the embodiment of Figs. 13and 14 in that spreader section 66 and 67 are straight and likewise theseams 63', 64', and 65 in which they are supported, such seams beingdisposed above the decorativeiy cut or indented bottom edges 70.

While the seams 58, 59 and 60 may be formed as described above, I haveillustrated in Figs. 14, 15 and 16, different means formed for receivingthe guide and retainer rods 61 which are formed between a separablebottom section, 52a, 53a and 54a, on each of the panels 52, 53 and 54respectively; such vbottom sections overlapping the main portion of thepanels and securedthereto by parallel rows of fasteners 72, betweenwhich the housing for receiving the guide and retainer rods are formed.

The embodiments of Fig. 14, l5 and 16, as it will be readily apparent toany one skilled in the art, by providing separable bottom Sections forthe panels 52, 53 and 54,'

which are interchangeable and replaceable, make possible inlinitevariety in the design of the bottoms of the shading devices of thepresent invention, providing numerous styles and opportunities fornumerous color combinations.

lt may here be stated that the ends of the spreader guides such as 3l)may be anchored in place within their tubular seams, such as 28 and 29,or may, if desired, be loosely held therein and hooked around an edge ofsuch seam when the panel is to be draped.

in the embodiment of Fig. 19 I have shown a shading structure in whicheach panel, 75, is provided with its individual draping means which maybe in the form of a rod, 76, having hooked ends 77 and 78, by one ofwhich, as 77, it is carried and supported on the panel 75, as by meansof a ring, 79, or similar device that may serve the same purpose.

The member 76, is preferably supported at a distance 7 in Fig. 12, theouter or undraped edge portion of the panel is permitted to hang instraight, unbent and uncurved lines, as illustrated.

This completes the description of the several embodiments of the windowshading devices of the present invention. It will be readily apparentthat such shading devices possess many advantages in utility andappearance over the conventional shades now used for the purpose andthat, because their several panels are separated for light admission topermit a longitudinal opening to be formed, are additionally useful forimproved air circulation which generally requires an opening at the topas well as the bottom of the window.

It will likewise be apparent that numerous other modifications andvariations may be made in the window shading devices of the invention,in accordance with the principles of the invention and without the useof any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for anyand all such variations and modifications that may be made within thespirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims heretoappended.

What l claim is:

1. A shading device comprising a plurality of pliable flat shadesections, each securable by an end to a shade roller, and means carriedby and supported on said sections for selectively guiding and retainingthem in juxtaposed relation and in spread apart relation to one another.

2. A shading device comprising a plurality of pliable fabric shadepanels, each securable by one end to a shade roller with their facingedges juxtaposed, and means carried by and supported on said panels forselectively retaining said panels in juxtaposed and in spread apartrelation to one another, said means including a rigid element andsupporting elements on said panels for said rigid element; one of saidelements being curved to compensate for the foreshortening of the panelsvertically as they are moved into spread apart relation.

3. A shading device comprising at least two shade panels formed of apliable material and each securable by one end to a shade roller withthe adjoining edges of the said panels overlapping, and means carried onand supported by said panels for selectively guiding and retaining theirunattached end portions into juxtaposed and into spaced apart relationto one another, said roller having a plurality of tubular sleevesections secured thereon, said sleeve sections being spaced apart fromone another opposite said panel overlap to leave a portion of saidroller with reduced diameter, said portion of reduced diameteraccommodating the fabric thickness produced by said overlap when panelsare rolled up on said roller.

4. A shading device, comprising at least two shade panels formed ofpliable sheet fabric, each securable by one end to a shade roller andmeans for selectively guiding and retaining the contiguous edges of saidpanels in juxtaposed and in spaced apart relation to one anotherincluding a tubular seam formed on each of said panels in substantialalinement with the others, and a rigid spreader guide member supportedin said seams, said member having a curved underside adapted tocompensate for the foreshortening of portions of said panels verticallyas they are moved into spaced apart relation on said member.

5. A shading device, comprising at least two shade panels formed ofpliable sheet fabric, each securable by an end to a shade roller andmeans for selectively guiding and retaining the unattached portions ofsaid panels into juxtaposed and into spread apart relation to oneanother, including a tubular seam formed on each of said panels, and arigid member supported in each of said seams, said rigid member havinghook means spaced from the center thereof, each for engaging a panel atan edge thereof to retain it in spaced apart relation from the edge ofan adjacent panel.

6. A shading device, comprising at least two shade panels formed of apliable sheet fabric, each securable its center toward a point adjacentto each of its ends' and having its end portions curving less graduallydownwardly.

7. A shading device, comprising at least two shade panels formed of apliable sheet fabric each securable by an end to a shade roller, saidpanels having means for selectively guiding them in and out ofjuxtaposed relation to one another, including a tubular hem formed oneach of said panels at a distance from its unattached end and inaliuement with the other seams, and a rigid unitary guide membersupported in said hem, said guide member having an underside curvinggradually upwardly and outwardly from its center to a point short ofeach end thereof and having its end portions curving less graduallydownwardly and outwardly from said upwardly curved portions, said guidemember having at least one projection on each upwardly curving portionthereof adapted to engage a panel and retain it in selected positionrelative the other and having means on its outer end for engaging apanel and preventing its removal therefrom.

8. A shading device, comprising at least two shade panels formed of apliable sheet fabric each securable by one end to a shade roller, saidpanels having means for selectively guiding them o-ut of and intojuxtaposed relation to one another, including a plurality of ringssecured in an approximately transverse row on each of said panels, and arigid unitary guide member having relatively deep corrugations regularlyformed on its under side supported on said rings, said guide member andsaid rows of rings being selectively curved gradually upwardly andoutwardly to compensate for the change in vertical length in portions ofsaid panels as they are moved out of and into juxtaposed position.

9. A shading device, comprising a plurality of pliable fabric shadepanels each securable by one end to a shade roller and each having adetachable panel portion secured to the opposed end thereof, means forselectively guiding unattached portions of said panels into transverselygathered and into extended position comprising a rigid member disposedtransversely of said shading device, and means for supporting said guidemeans on said panels, including an overlap between each of said panelsand its detachable portion and a pair of spaced apart transverse rows offasteners securing the overlap-` ping portions to one another, leaving aspace between them to receive and support said guide means.

l0. A shading device, comprising at least two shade panels formed of apliable sheet fabric, each securable by one end to a shade roller, saidpanels having means for selectively guiding them out of and intojuxtaposed relation to each other, including a plurality of ringssecured in approximately a transverse row on each of the said panels anda rigid unitary guide member having a plurality of spaced projectionsprovided on a face thereof supported on said rings, said guide memberand said rows of rings being selectively curved gradually upwardly andoutwardly and then less gradually downwardly and outwardly, the spacesbetween said projections adapted to receive said rings between them.

l1. A shading device comprising, a plurality of pliable fabric shadepanels each securable by one end to a shade roller with their facingedges juxtaposed, means carried by and supported on said panels forselectively retaining said panels in spread-apart relation to oneanother, and means carried by said panels for maintaining said panels invertically and laterally aligned position for movement on and olf saidroller, including aligned rod supporting means on adjacent panels and arod member 9 supported by and moveable within said rod supporting means.

12. A shadingdevice comprising at least two shade panels formed of apliable sheet material each secured by one end to a shade roller, andmeans on each of said panels for selectively retaining it in gatheredposition and spread apart from the other, including guide membersupporting means secured on each of said panels and a guide memberarranged within said supporting means, said guide member having meansfor engaging the panel at each of its longitudinal edge portions whensaid panel is gathered over said guide member.

13. The shading device of claim l2, wherein a selected one of said guidemember supporting means and said guide member are slanted upwardly inthe direction from one side edge of one of said panels toward the otherside edge thereof.

14. A shading device comprising at least two shade panels formed of apliable sheet material, each secured by one end to a shade roller, arigid, elongated element supported on said panels approximatelytransversely thereof, and means associated with said rigid element forengaging said panels in gathered position.

15. A shading device comprising at least two shade panels formed ofpliable sheet material, each secured by one end to a shade roller, andmeans on each of said panels for optionally retaining it in gatheredposition, said means comprising a member carried on and supported bysaid panel, said member adapted to engage the said panel at one edgeportion and at a distance from the opposed edge, in approximatelytransverse relation to said panel, to gather the same.

16. A shading device comprising at least two panels formed of a pliablesheet material, eachV secured by one end to a roller, and means on eachof said panels for selectively retaining it in gathered position andspaced apart from the other, said means including guide membersupporting means on each of said panels and a guide member supported bysaid supporting means, said guide member having means for engaging saidpanel at approximately each end thereof and arranged to engage saidpanel at one longitudinal edge and at a distance from its oppositelongitudinal edge, for gathering the same.

17. A shading device comprising at least two shade panels formed of apliable sheet material, each secured by one end to a shade roller andmeans for optionally retaining each panel in gathered position,including a single member for holding each panel in gathered positionsupported on and carried by each of said panels, and means forinterengaging said member and said panel at at least one longitudinaledge thereof.

18. A shading device comprising a pair of panels formed of a pliablesheet material each dependently supported by one end substantially in aplane with and parallel to the other, and means on each of said panelsfor optionally retaining it in gathered position comprising a membercarried and supported solely by said panel, said member having means forengaging said panel at an edge thereof when said panel is gathered toretain the same in gathered position.

19. A roller for flexible sheet material adapted to be wound thereon7said material having longitudinally extending portions of greaterthickness and adjacent portions of lesser thickness, comprising a rollermember of substantially uniform diameter, said roller member having atubular sleeve section fitted and secured thereon in register withmaterial portions of lesser thickness, when said material is rolled onsaid roller and sleeve section, leaving an uncovered roller section inregister with portions of the material of greater thickness.

20. A shading device, including a panel formed of pliable sheetmaterial, supported by one end in suspended v position, and means onsaid panel for opitionally retaining it in gathered position, comprisinga member carried by and supported solely on said panel, said memberhaving means for engaging said panel to retain the same in gatheredposition.

21. A shading device, including a panel formed of pliable sheet materialsupported by one end in suspended position, and means on said panel foroptionally retaining it in gathered position, said means comprising arigid member carried by and supported solely on said panel, said memberhaving means for engaging said panel to retain the same in gatheredposition.

22. A shading device comprising a roller member consisting of acylindrical rod of substantially uniform diameter, said rod havingsleeve sections iitted and secured about portions thereof, to provideportions of roller of greater thickness separated by a portion of lesserthickness, and a pair of panels of pliable sheet material, each securedby one end to said roller in overlapping relation with one another, saidsleeves secured around said rod in position to have a space between themopposite said overlap, and means carried and supported by said panelsfor maintaining the free ends of said panels in overlapping position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 433,509Arnold Aug. 5, 1890 799,719 Cummings Sept. 19, 1905 1,161,444 BoughtonNov. 23, 1915 1,243,923 Dargo Oct. 23, 1917 2,219,253 Cunningham Oct.22, 1940 2,301,081 Rosenberg Nov. 3, 1942

